


Love

by paynesgrey



Series: Turn and Face the Strange [3]
Category: Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Adventure, F/M, Fluff, One-Shot, whouffaldi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-20
Updated: 2014-09-20
Packaged: 2018-02-18 01:56:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,827
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2330981
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/paynesgrey/pseuds/paynesgrey
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Doctor and Clara travel to an alien planet to rescue an octopus princess. Clara x Twelve.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Love

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the "love" prompt for the summer mini challenge on LJ. Part of the "Turn and Face the Strange" series.

“What are you wearing? No, no, no, you can’t wear that where we’re going!” the Doctor yelled after Clara the moment she walked through the TARDIS door.

“Sorry. Isn’t that what I should be saying to you?” And for a moment there, Clara wondered if the Doctor was reading her mind. She stopped dead in her tracks, looked him over, and couldn’t figure out if she was intrigued or gobsmacked. Or a little bit of both.

“Right, starting in the middle of again. Clara, get dressed in this…” He threw her a similar attire in a folded elastic bundle. “We’re going to a planet completely submerged in water.”

“Is that why you’re wearing a wet suit?” she asked with a laugh. She let her eyes travel all over his body slowly, just to make him feel uncomfortable - and it was apparently working. _Not bad,_ she thought. He was older looking, yes, but that fit, thin frame molded into that shiny, black wet suit (more like a cat suit) was not all that horrible to look at. Quite the opposite. And the way he moved about in it…

He cleared his throat.

She shook her head. “Sorry, have to get used to you in a get-up like that.”

“It’s not a get-up; it’s standard attire necessary for where we’re traveling. If we don’t dress like this we will be unable to visit them or even survive in their world. Plus, we mustn’t insult the locals, Clara,” he said, becoming grumpier every second she stared at him in that suit. “Now, chop, chop, we need to get moving. Get dressed.”

“Doctor,” she asked, trying to keep the mirth out of her tone. “Why are we even visiting the place if we have to go through all this trouble?”

The Doctor smiled at her, forgetting his impatience with her questions and feeling invigorated with the new mission at hand. “ _We_ , Clara, are going to rescue an octopus princess.”

 

*

 

Clara did not like wearing the wet suit, but since the Doctor had to be uncomfortable in one as well, she felt it was worth it.

“Why are we going to this planet anyway? You just don’t pop into a planet knowing an octopus princess needs to be rescued,” Clara said.

“The king of Merdonia and I go way back. Took my granddaughter there once. They really are quite a joyful, peaceful bunch. It’s the Saldonians you have to watch out for,” the Doctor explained, though Clara noticed he really didn’t explain anything. As usual.

“Okay, back up. Merdonia and Saldonians?” she asked.

He sighed. “The watery planet we are visiting is called Donia. They have two aquatic factions that populate the world. The Saldonians inhabit the southern hemisphere, and the Merdonians are in the North. While I was there, I visited the Northern part, and found the people there quite lovely.”

“Of course you did.”

“While we were there, they told us about the rival Saldonians, who are their enemies. They mostly quarrel and have petty squabbles from time to time, and their peace treaty was very flimsy. They were sure one day they’d be at war, and the whole planet would just be in chaos. I tried to be a bridge between their hemispheres, revised their treaty, and brought peace. Well, it was Susan mostly who wrote it up. She was much better at such things than I was; clever girl.”

“So then they call you up again and something’s gone amiss, I’m guessing? The peace treaty fell through?” Clara asked.

The Doctor nodded. “They thought they’d take it one further by marrying off the Merdonian princess to the Saldonian prince and finally bringing their hemispheres together. Think of it, Clara! An age old hatred solved by simple arranged marriage.”

“If it was love, things may be different.”

“Well, that’s the problem. It is love,” the Doctor said, meeting her gaze.

“But you said it was arranged,” Clara replied.

“Well, the marriage treaty is, yes, but the princess has another love in mind, and the Saldonian prince found out about it,” the Doctor explained.

“Ah, so she probably loves someone else, a Merdonian one right?”

“If only it were that simple!” he said. “The princess is in love with the _other_ Saldonian brother.” He waved his hand about, seemingly bored with the story already, but he continued for her sake. “So of course, the other brother is trying to fight for her hand, and now the Saldonians won’t let the princess return home. She is their prisoner, and now, we have to get her back.”

“Hang on, we’re going to bring her back and separate her from her true love? I don’t know if I want to do that, Doctor,” Clara said.

“Clara, forget about love,” he stressed. “A whole planet’s future is at stake!”

“Wow, I can’t believe you just said that,” she said, meeting his serious eyes. She peered closely at him, trying to find some recognition of the happy-go-lucky Doctor she’d once traveled with that boasted about helping people and fighting for what was right. She even though he’d been a champion of other people’s love before. She’d seen it, but the Doctor now could barely grasp the concept of it.

If he couldn’t see the affection and strength in someone else’s love, what did he think of his relationship with her? Why did he even need her?

“Come on, we’ve landed.” He threw a shapely, deep sea helmet at her, and he switched on the oxygen setting and showed her how work the controls. She felt him not-so-gently pop it on her head and then leave it for her to get comfortable. He’d put on his own helmet in a similar rough fashion and then headed toward the door. He turned back to her, and Clara had to put her wandering thoughts aside to meet whatever was outside the TARDIS door. “Ready?”

She looked at him through the blue light inside her helmet and nodded. The thrill of excitement moved her muscles forward, but her worry toward the Doctor was lingering deep within her bones.

*

Clara didn’t really have time to appreciate swimming with the Doctor on this watery planet, but she found herself enjoying the lovely scenery in a few moments on the way to the king of Merdonia’s palace.

Donia was a beautiful planet, full of rich and robust marine culture that she’d never seen before. The fish and coral were vibrant, and strange neon watery auroras floated about randomly through the seascape. She and the Doctor even swam through one, and she was entranced at the way purple and pink pulses of tiny lights surrounded her and sparkled like neon sugar around her body.

When they’d met the king, he wasn’t fazed at all by the Doctor’s new body and face, and immediately they assumed Clara was his granddaughter Susan, and the Doctor didn’t correct him. Many people thanked her for her help with their treaty, and she didn’t know what to say.

The Doctor gave a sour look that she assumed meant she had to go along with it. So, she nodded and smiled through her deep sea helmet whenever any of the Merdonians approached her.

She was more concerned by their alien appearance. They weren’t exactly like any octopi she’d known back at earth, but they had that general biology. Mostly, they were mermaid-like, with humanoid faces and torsos, but with tentacles for arms, legs and even on tops of their heads. Some of the tentacles were multicolored throughout each separate entity, and she found that some of it was even a fashion statement among their kind.

The Doctor mostly ignored her at his side as he took in the situation from the king and all his advisers. He nodded a lot, spoke excitedly with his hands, but he didn’t discuss any concrete plans on how to save their princess. Once he’d somehow gained their confidence that he had everything under control, he pulled Clara aside to the a private part in the watery castle and spoke to her through the mic system in the helmets.

“Right, so we’re going to rescue the princess.”

“I got that already. So… you don’t have a plan,” she said.

He looked offended through the blue light of the helmet. “Of course I do.”

“And that is…?”

“We’re going to convince the Saldonians that the marriage must still take place,” the Doctor said. “But… with the brother she loves.”

Clara’s heart swelled with warmth. She couldn’t believe that he’d changed his mind about their love!

“Doctor! I’m surprised; that’s a brilliant idea,” Clara encouraged.

“Yes, well, the king of Merdonia doesn’t care which brother she marries, as long as he’s from Saldonia,” he said, a little frazzled by her compliment.

“Well, right, that makes sense,” Clara said. “Should be easy, yes?”

“Not exactly. Not when both Saldonia brothers are in love with her,” he said.

“Oh dear,” Clara said. “This princess must be really smashing.”

The Doctor rolled his eyes. “If her reputation precedes her… Now, let’s go. We have an emissary escort waiting for us.”

*

Their escorted trip into Saldonia was surprisingly tame. Clara was sure, knowing their luck with alien worlds, that she’d get shot at, or they’d get taken prisoner, or someone nefarious would separate them, most likely to either kill or have their way with her.

Instead, they swam next to their two Merdonian escorts in quiet waters, and met the sour faces of the Saldonian guards, whom didn’t look that much different than their rivals - with tentacles in different places and different colors, but not much else. They took them to the Saldonian castle where the king greeted the Doctor much the same as the Merdonian king. He was smiling, gracious and thought Clara was Susan.

The Doctor immediately laid out the terms of the Merdonian king. The Saldonian king didn’t seem to appreciate the Doctor’s tone, and he became very heated toward the end of the conversation. Clara put a hand on the Doctor’s arm, and she said, “Grandfather, maybe I can have a go at it?”

The Doctor looked surprised she called him “grandfather” so Clara smiled demurely at him, which only made his eyebrows look crosser.

“Your highness, you are a kind and reasonable ruler to your people. This is only minor setback to a lasting peace the you both wisely brought about yourselves. This is a new age in solidarity in your kingdoms; surely there’s some way to compromise the princess and both princes’ intentions?” Clara suggested, and the king looked taken aback. He tapped his chin with three different small tentacles.

“I see, Susan, as usual you are wise as well as empathic,” he said, and shot the Doctor an annoyed glance. “There is something within our ancient laws that allows for a royal to take two husbands or wives if they choose. But to give a Merdonian this kind of power…”

“Yes!” called a screechy voice behind them. Clara turned and saw a lovely, purple colored entity swim toward them with two other male octopi following behind her, glaring at each other. Clara was right to assume this was the infamous octopus princess. Clara had to admit she kind of was fetching - for a fish person. “I will marry them both!”

“The problem here, my dear, is that you’re Merdonian; this is Saldonian law. I would have no problem if my son were to choose two Merdonian females as his brides, but the other way around…”

“Decrease her authority then,” Clara suggested, and the king, advisers, and princes all looked at her shocked. “You...can split the odds of ruler ship. The princess doesn’t have final say for Saldonia. She must have both the princes’ blessing to make any rulings in Saldonia. If the princes’ want to change something, they can overrule her for Saldonia only. Merdonia affairs is the only thing she has ultimate say over, but only if one of the princes agrees with her. A 2/3rds majority for Merdonia, and Saldonia must have at least a full majority or both the princes’ agreement - thus making it still a 2/3rds majority.”

The king seemed to think about it at length. The princes looked at each other with furrowed scaly brows, and Clara met the Doctor’s bored expression. He was already distracted by something else, and he seemed even more out of touch with the conversation when another neon aurora floated around his head.

“I’m not sure Merdonia will go for it,” the king said hesitating. “Miss Susan, would you care to help us with the treaty again?”

Clara nodded, trying to hold back the laugh. “Sure. No problem,” she said, and she nudged the Doctor lightly in the chest. “If Grandfather doesn’t mind.”

He huffed at her, and Clara grinned back at the king. “Where do we start?” The king of Saldonia led her off with the princess, princes and his advisers ;Clara noticed this time, the Doctor was the one who trailed behind them all, seemingly left out of the process once again.

 

*

“Well, that was fun,” Clara said, bouncing around the console room of the TARDIS. The Doctor was mostly quiet, but he looked relieved to be out of that wetsuit. She skipped up next to him, leaned on her elbows and grinned up at him. “You didn’t seem to think so though, even though you let them think I was Susan; which you planned and ultimately knew would help appease them again.”

“I don’t know how Susan convinced them last time, and I really don’t understand how you convinced them, but I had some idea using their past appreciation for Susan would help the process,” the Doctor said. “Both hemispheres of Donia will have peace. That’s good enough.”

“And an octopus princess gets two true loves instead of one,” Clara said. “Lucky gal.”

“Still don’t understand it,” the Doctor said.

“What? Love? Come on, Doctor, after all the companions you’d had, you don’t believe in loving more than one person?” she said, eying him cautiously.

“It was never like that,” he said quietly. “I’ve gotten close.” Clara paused, and she wondered if that was best she’d get to a true confession from him. He met her eyes. “And it’s always been different.”

“Different bodies, different personalities,” Clara said, squeezing his arm. She was surprised he didn’t swat her away or make a fuss about the touching. “I get it. But it’s still _you_ , so the feelings must still be there inside.”

He looked away, staring down at the lights on the baubles and switches of his console. “Yes.”

Clara smiled. “That’s a relief.”

“Why is that?” he asked, meeting her eyes slowly.

“Because you make me wonder…” she said softly.

“Are we talking about all my companions, or…”

“Yes, Doctor, and then no,” Clara answered quickly. She crossed her arms and stepped away.

She didn’t know how much she wanted to pursue this conversation with him. Obviously, their fanciful affection from his last lifetime still burdened him. He’d taken unnecessary regret in flirting and pursuing her. She knew that he’d mostly sought her out because of the echos, but Clara knew there was more to it. The Doctor had once loved her, and she would never deny that she loved him too. Something like that couldn’t just change in a flash. Like the princess, she knew it was possible to love two people, even if the Doctor was still just _one_ with different faces.

“Take me back to my apartment, yeah? I made some apple tarts before you took me off to Donia.” She stood by the door. “Want some?”

“I don’t know if I like apple tarts,” he said begrudgingly.

“But you like apples now,” Clara said, and she pointed at him. “And I made them for you, so you have to eat it. No complaints.”

He managed a small smile, and he locked his gaze with hers. She watched him pilot the TARDIS effortlessly, still returning glances at her.

“And Doctor?” she said, and he gave her absolute attention. “If you don’t like apple tarts, maybe you can learn to love them again?”

His smile disappeared and she knew he was weighing the meaning of her words. The TARDIS stopped, and she turned from his stare through the door to her kitchen. The Doctor followed her out, and the scent of apples filled their senses.

“Yes, apple tarts, I think I liked them once,” the Doctor said, and Clara hooked her arm into his and drew him into her kitchen.

“Then let me help you remember,” she said, and she leaned closer to him, and he let her fit her side against his. Without complaint, the Doctor let Clara lead him to a seat in her kitchen. When she brought out the tarts on a plate for them, she winked at him.

“And I promise, Doctor, that these are much better than my souffles.”

END


End file.
